Lighter using a gaseous fuel



M. QUERCIM L LIGHTER USING A GASEOUS FUEL Filed Feb. 9, 1946 INVENTORSMARGEL OUERGIA 65 019658 FERDINAND r: Qv

Patented July 18,1950

and Georges Ferdinand, Nogent-sur-Marne, France Application February 9,1946, Serial No. 646,540

In France February 23, 1945 Marcel Qnercia, Paris,

Claims.

This invention relates to lighters or ignition devices, in which theflame is obtained by the combustion of a gas, whether stored in thegaseous state, or' produced by the expansion of a gas which'iscompressed or liquefied.

Among the lighters of the latter kind, there are some which obtain thisexpansion by means of expansion valves, preferably multiple or effectinga plurality of successive expansions, often with special intermediatefittings, generally com-. prising porous or pulverulent matter. Thereare also some which comprise the use, in the container itself of theapparatus, of an absorbing support, mineral or organic, which may .havebeen preliminarily subjected to any suitable physical or chemicaltreatment, and which ab-' 'sorbs the liguefied or gaseous fuel employedand ensures in this manner directly, by its action itself, a firstrelease of pressure of this gas in the container. With an apparatus ofthis kind, it

suflices then of a simple adjusting member for the flow of gas, such asa tap, a needle valve, a calibrated passage, etc; in order to obtainimmediately the gas. at its utilization pressure; these apparatus aretherefore doing away with all par- 2 I safety measure, ensures a perfectgas-tightness of the closure when. the apparatus is not in use, whileleaving an easy passage for the expanded gas, for the working of thelighter.

The whole of the combined regulation and closure device which is adaptedto be fixed directly on the container of the/lighter, may be cons ructdin practice so as to have a very small bulk, so that it takes verylittle space.

Referring to the appended drawing, which shows the preferredconstruction of the improvements which constitute the object of theinventicular and complicated devices "for multiple orsuccessiveexpansion, as well as with all intermediate expansion members andsubdividing fittings.

The improvements which constitute the object of the present inventionconcern particularly the lighters. using gaseous fuels, belonging to thslatter type, in which the gas container comprises internally anabsorbing support permitting the storage of the liquefied or gaseousfuels employed under reduced pressure and ensuring in this mannerdirectly its release under a limited pressure.

According to our invention, we provide a lighter of this type.comprising, in combination with the container provided with an absorbingsupport, a member for the adjustment of the gas-' flow, suitablyassociated with a particular closure member for the burner. The memberfor the regulation of the flow, such as a tap, threaded needle valve oranalogous device, will ensure a mechanical regulation, performed eitheronce for all or as may be required, for the purpose of ob-' taining adetermined length of flame; it permits to eilect the initial adjustmenton the apparatus at the time of the manufacture itself, or when thesystem is being placed in position on the container of the lighter,after the latter has been filled. The closure member, for example aclack valve, whether simple, or double as a tion, applied to a lighterusing gaseous fuel.

Fig. l of thisdrawing is a diagrammatic view of the whole of the lightercomprising the present improvements.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 represent, in vertical sections,

' three alternative constructions of the combined regulation and closurearrangement.

As is seen on Fig. 1 of the drawing, the lighter provided with thepresent improvements, comprises a filling of absorbing matter b placedinside the container a. 0n the container is mounted besides, in a mannerwhich will be described later, the combined regulation and closuredevice c, on which a suitable control, acting'for example downward inthe direction of the arrow d, is adapted to act to produce the opening;

In the construction shown on the Fig. 2, the

combined arrangement for the regulation and the closure, designated as awhole by c on the Fig. 1, comprises a body I provided axially with apassage la and terminated at its base by a threaded portion adapted tobe screwed on the cover of the container (a, Fig. 1) of the lighter.

In this body is provided a conical ground seat on which fits a rotaryconical key 2, suitably bored to provide a passage 2a and constituting aregulating tap. A nutzb secures in a known manner the key in its housingand, at its opposite extremity, this key comprises a suitable operatingmember 20, such as a slot for a screw driver, a nipple with holes for apin, or a square the cylindrical base of the burner 5, guided andmaintained in position on the body of the valve by a retaining collar 0,screwed on the said body.

It will be understood that the adjustment of the key 2 of the regulationtap can be performed very easily from the outside, either once for allor as may be required for each particular case, once the arrangement isassembled and placed in position on the container of the lighter, sothat the gas, a reduction in the pressure of which has preliminarilytaken place by the action of the absorbing support filling the inside ofcontainer, will in this manner he brought down in one operation to thesmall pressure at which it can conveniently be discharged to theexterior by the orifice of the burner. A descending motion of theburner, caused manually, pushes downwards the closure cone 4 which,compressing the spring 1, leaves a sufllcient passage to allow the freearrival of the gas to the burner. As soon as the control action. ceaseson the burner, the spring I brings back the cone of the closure valve incontact with its seat and the passage of the gas is in this wayimmediately stopped.

In the construction shown on the Fig. 3, the general arrangement is thesame and the same parts have been designated by the same referencenumbers as in the preceding example (Fig. 2). Here, however, above thecone 4 of the clack valve is disposed a second cone 8, which a spring apressing against the bottom of the first cone, tends to push back uponits seat. The body 3 comprises to this end two conical superposed seatsfor these two cones. The burner 5, besides, is housed with an easysliding fit,inside a support I, the upwards motion .of which is limitedby its lower flange abutting against the retaining collar 6. The workingof this arrangement is the same as that of the preceding arrangement,except that here the gas-tightness of the closure is ensured, even incase one of the cones of the clack valve should fail to operate.

The arrangement shown on Fig. 4 is essentially the same as that of Fig.2 except that here the cone of the clack valve is replaced by a fiatclap II with a circular groove, adapted to act in connection with aplastic. joint II, for example oi synthetic india-rubber, which willallow to obtain a perfect gas-tightness at the closure, while onlyrequiring a relatively small displacement for the opening.

These combined regulating and closure arrangements, consisting entirelyof mechanical members, can be manufactured in large quantitles and withthe greatest precision. Their mounting by simple screwing on thecontainer of the lighter is most easy; their regulation is mechanicaland simple and can be done once the lighter filled. Also, the system isrobust and,

once suitably adjusted, is free from any subsequent troubles. Finally,the utilization of an absor-bing support in the container of thelighter, ensuring the storage of gas under reduced pressure, allows ofthe use oi containers with walls of relatively small thickness, whencediminution of weight and elimination of any danger of explosion.

The ignition system used for the inflammation of the gas issuing at theburner may be oi any known or suitable type and may be obtained forexample by ierro-cerium, by platinum wire or moss, by means of anelectric current, etc.

It goes without saying that the details 0! execution which have beenshown and which have been described above have only been so as examplesof realisation of the invention without limitation of the scope of thelatter, as defined by the following statement of claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a lighter using a compressed gas as fuel and having a closedcontainer for the gas provided with an exit for the gas, in combination:means for regulating the rate of discharge 0! the gas arrangedimmediately above the exit of the container; means for sealing andopening the flow of gas from the container, said sealing and openingmeans being arranged so as to immediately follow said regulating meansand forming with same a single unit fixed on the container at the gasexit; means adapted to be handled manually for adJusting' saidregulating means; and an' operating member arranged slidably on top ofsaid unit and controlling said opening and sealing means.

2. In a lighter using a compressed gas as fuel and having a closedcontainer for the gas provided with an exit for the gas, in combination:means for regulating the rate of discharge of the gas arrangedimmediately above the exit of the container; means for sealing andopening the flow of gas from the container, said sealing and openingmeans beingarranged so as to immediately follow said regulating meansand forming with same a single unit fixed on the container at the gasexit; means adapted to be handled from outside said unit for adjustingsaid regulating means: and a, burner arranged movably on top of saidunit and controlling said opening and sealing means.

3. In a lighter using a compressed gas as fuel and having a closedcontainer for the gas provided with an exit for the gas, in combination:means for regulating the rate of discharge of the gas arrangedimmediately above the exit of the container; 9. spring loaded valve forsealing and opening the flow of gas from the container, said sealing andopening valve being arranged so as to immediately follow said regulatingmeans and forming with same a device including a single body fixed onthe container at the gas exit; means adapted to be handled manually foradiusting said regulating means; and a burner arranged siidably on topof said body and controlling said opening and sealing valve.

4. In a lighter using a compressed gas as fuel and having a closedcontainer for the gas provided with an exit for the gas, in combination:means for regulating the rate of discharge of the gas arrangedimmediately above the exit of the container; two spring loaded valvesfor sealing and opening the flow of gas from the container, said sealingand opening valves being arranged so as to immediately iollow saidregulating means and forming with same a device including a single bodyfixed on the container at the gas exit; means adapted to be handled fromoutside said body for adjusting said regulating means; and a burnerarranged slidably on top of said body and controlling said openingandsealing valves.

5. In a lighter using a compressed gas as fuel and having a closedcontainer for the gas provided with an exit for the gas, in combination:

means for regulating the rate oi. discharge of the gas arrangedimmediately above the exit of the container; two spring loaded valvesarranged in series for sealing and opening the flow of gas from thecontainer, said sealing and opening valves being arranged so as toimmediately follow said regulating means and forming with same a deviceincluding a single body fixed on the container at of said body andcontrolling said opening and Number sealing valves. 1,252,702 MARCELQUERCIA. 1,895,032 GEORGES FERDINAND. 2,153,432 REFERENCES CITED 5 Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this patent: 1

UNITED STATES PATENTS m Number Name Date 1,230,026 Pullen June 12, 1917Name Date Kelly Jan. 8, 1918 Fisher Jan. 24, 1933 Reich Apr. 4, 1939FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Dec. 1, 1937 France June 7,1943

